Miss Candy’s Kids Fund for Autism

Candy Boerste had a passion for helping others, and the career she selected was a perfect fit for her. She served as a speech pathologist, helping children in the North-Spencer School Corporation during her first 6 years of her career, and then at Tell City Troy Township Schools for 28 years. In that time, she helped over 2,500 students. Perhaps her biggest passion was helping students with autism, many of whom had difficulties communicating until Candy worked with them.

When Candy passed away in May of 2015, family and friends knew they needed to continue her legacy somehow. They decided the best way to honor her memory was to focus on the passion to which she devoted so many years of her life: helping those with autism.

Her husband, Dean Boerste, approached the Perry County Community Foundation wanting to create a fund that would memorialize Candy by providing funding to organizations that help autistic children. Candy was no stranger to the Foundation and its work: Candy had devoted much time as a volunteer with the organization, serving as a board member, a member of the Foundation’s Women for Women group, and helping others in the community utilize the Foundation to create funds that would improve life in Perry County. In fact, her parents had created a fund through the Foundation to honor one of her brother’s profound life accomplishments.

The Miss Candy’s Kids Fund for Autism was created to provide funding to groups that continue Candy’s work. Dean knew including “Miss Candy” in the name of the fund was important, because that’s how “her kids” knew her.

Thanks to the generosity of Candy’s family and friends, students with autism will continue to benefit from this endowed fund created through the Foundation in Candy’s memory. Her legacy lives on.